On September 12, the Ludeman Family Center for Women’s Health Research hosted Arianna Huffington at its 2025 Annual Community Event to discuss advances in women’s health research and the power of innovation to improve human health. The discussion was moderated by Kimberly Muller, Esq., vice chancellor for innovation and biotechnology. 

“At CU Anschutz, we know that advancements in women’s health and sex differences research are advancements in human health,” said Don Elliman, chancellor of the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. “The leading-edge work underway today at the Ludeman Center is essential to improving the well-being of our community and communities around the world.” 

Huffington is the founder and CEO of Thrive Global, the founder of The Huffington Post, and the author of 15 books, including international bestsellers Thrive and The Sleep Revolution. In 2016, she launched Thrive Global, a behavior change technology company with the mission of improving health outcomes and productivity. 

Reflecting on what led her to found Thrive Global, Huffington noted, “I realized that I didn’t want to just continue to raise awareness—which I could have done through my media company, books, and speaking engagements—I wanted to help people start to change behavior. I had people coming up to me saying, ‘I understand I need to eat and sleep better, but how do I do it?’” 

Featured Research 

The event also showcased several faculty members who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to women’s health research. 

Chelsea Magin, PhD, Ludeman Center investigator and associate professor in the Departments of Bioengineering, Pediatrics, and Medicine, described her work in pulmonary fibrosis. “At CU, I’ve filed two patent applications: one for 3D models of human lung tissue and another for novel biomaterials containing proteins from human tissues that we call hybrid hydrogels,” said Magin. These models are being used to test new pulmonary fibrosis drugs and potential sex-specific effects. Magin is the first engineer to be awarded an Early-Career Faculty Research Development Award from the Ludeman Center. 

Andrew Libby, PhD, Ludeman Center investigator and assistant professor in the Department of Medicine, spoke about the importance of Ludeman Center support in his career. He received an Early-Career Faculty Research Development Award in 2021 and credits that support with launching his independent career. “The discoveries I made from this pilot award not only fueled my passion for this work—they also positioned me to transition to faculty and successfully compete for grants from the NIH Specialized Center for Research Excellence in Sex Differences and the Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute,” said Libby. “Quite simply, without the Ludeman Center, I wouldn’t be standing here today as a faculty member pursuing the research I love.” 

Tasha Garcia, PhD, Ludeman Center investigator and assistant professor in the Division of Cardiology, is one of the newest grant recipients studying cardiovascular disease. “The support of the Ludeman Center didn't just fund a project—it propelled our careers and allowed us to continue our important work together,” said Garcia. “The research we are doing, with the help of this grant, focuses on defining how estradiol—a key female sex hormone—affects the heart. We're looking at how the heart's energy production and contractile forces change in aged females, and whether estradiol can help. This is part of a larger mission to understand how aging contributes to conditions like diastolic dysfunction, a type of heart failure that is strikingly common in women after menopause.” 

Since 2004, the Ludeman Center has invested over \$3 million in women’s health and sex differences research. For every dollar invested through the Early-Career Faculty Research Development Awards, Ludeman Center researchers receive \$74 in additional funding from external sources such as the National Institutes of Health. In total, over 110 researchers have received funding, mentorship, and training—and over 90% have remained in academic medicine. 

The Annual Community Event raises funds for the operations and critical programming provided by the Ludeman Family Center for Women’s Health Research. “We started the Ludeman Center to foster an environment where more women’s health researchers can bring forth critical knowledge and build new, better tools for diagnoses, treatments, preventative measures, and even cures,” said Judy Regensteiner, PhD, distinguished professor of medicine, co-founder, and director of the Ludeman Center.